Question. But how may a person that has lost this gracious presence of Grod, recover it again ?
JRespome 1. First, Observe how you lost this 'presence of God, and labour to recover it by a contrary course. Did you lose it by sinful omissions ? then be more active in a way of duty. Didst thou lose the presence of God by neglecting thy watch, or by not walking with God, or by an eager pursuit of the world, or by closing with this or that temptation, or by letting fall thy communion with God ? take a con- trary course. Now keep up thy watch, walk close with God, keep up a daily converse with lively Christians, let thy heart and affections be set upon things above, keep thy ground in the face ol all temptations, maintain a standing communion with God, Ps. cxix. 63 ; Col. iii. 1, 2. After Christ had stood knocking and calling to his spouse— 'Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled ; for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night,' Cant. v. 2, 3, 6 — but found no entrance, he retired and withdrew himself, because she would not arise and put on her coat ; but when she bestirs herself, ' she finds him whom her soul loved,' chap. iii. 1-4. Then Christ comes into his garden again, and returns to his spouse again, and for- gets all former unkindness, chap. vi. 1^ 2. But,
Besponse 2. Secondly , Inquire ivhere, ivhen, and why God has with- drawn himself; as we do when dear friends absent themselves from us. ' 0 the Hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night?' Jer. xiv. 8. Ver. 9, ' Why shouldest thou be as a man astonied, as a mighty man that cannot save ? Yet thou, 0 Lord, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name ; leave us not.'
Response 8. Thirdly, Stand not with Christ for anything, not for a right eye, or a right hand, ww for an Isaac or a Benjamin. Don't say this work is too high, and that too hard, and the other too hot, and the other too dangerous, in order to the recovery of God's countenance and presence. Thou must not think anything in the world too much to do for Christ, or to suffer for Christ. Thou wilt be a happy man if thou canst recover Christ's lost presence ; though it be upon the hardest terms imaginable. But,
Besponse 4. Fourthly, Let your hearts lie humble and low under the loss of God's gracious presence, Ps. li. 8-12 ; 1 Pet. 5, 6. For, (1.) It is the greatest loss. (2.) It is a loss-embittering loss ; it is a loss that will greatly embitter all your worldly losses. I have lost my health, I have lost a hopeful child, I have lost a gracious yoke-fellow, which was the delight of mine eyes and the joy of my heart ; I have lost a fair estate, I have lost an intimate friend, I have lost a brave trade. Oh, but that which embitters all my losses, and puts a sting into them, is this, that I have lost the gracious presence of God that once I enjoyed. (3.) It is a loss that all outward comforts can never make up. When the sun is down, nothing can make it day with us. (4.) It is an invisible loss; and no losses to invisible losses. As there are no mercies to invisible mercies, so there are no losses to invisible losses. (5.) It is a loss that will cost a man dear before it will be made up again. Oh the sighs, the groans, the strong cries, the earnest
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prayers, tlie bottles of tears that the recovery of the divine presence will cost a Christian ; upon all which accounts, how well does it become a Christian to lie humble at the foot of God !
Response 5. Fifthly, Lift up a mighty cry to heaven. Thus the saints of old have done. Consult these scriptures, Ps. li. 6-1 3 ; Lam. iii. 56, 57 ; Ps. iv. 6, 7, xxvii. 9, xxxviii. 21, 22, cxxxviii. 3, and cxix. 8, ' 0 forsake me not utterly.' Christ was forsaken for a few hours, David for a few months, and Job for a few years, for the trial and exercise of his faith and patience ; but then they all sent up a mighty cry to heaven. Leave them God did, to their thinking ; forsake them he did in regard of vision, but not in regard of union, i The promise is, that ' God will draw near to us if we draw near to him,' James iv. 8. Draw nigh to God in duty, and he will draw nigh to you in mercy : sanctify him, and he will satisfy you. Prayer is the only means to supply all defects, it gets all, and makes up the loss of- all ; as a gracious poor woman said in her distress, I have no friend, but I have prayer ; that will get favour with my God ; so long as I can find a praying heart, God will, I am sure of that, find a pitying heart and a helping hand. It is not the length, but the strength of prayer ; it is not the labour of the lip, but the travail of the heart that prevails with God, Jer. xxix. 12-14. It is not the arithmetic of our prayers, how many they are ; nor the rhetoric of our prayers, how eloquent they be ; nor the geometry of our prayers, how long they be ; nor the music of our prayers, how sweet they be ; nor the logic of our prayers, how methodical they be, that will carry the day with God. It is only fervency, importunity in prayer, that wiU make a man pre- valent with God. Fervent prayer hits the mark, carries the day, and pierceth the walls of heaven, though like those of Gaza, made of brass and iron, James v. 16, 17 ; Luke xviii. ; Isa. xlv, 2. The child has got many a kiss and many a hug by crying. If God has withdrawn his presence, the best, the surest, and the readiest way to recover it is to send up a mighty cry to heaven. But,
Response 6. Sixthly, Be sure you don't take up your rest in any creature, in any comfort, in any contentment, in any loorldly enjoy- ment, Jer. 1. 6. When the presence of God is withdrawn from you, say as Absalom, ' What is all this to me, so long as I am banished my father s presence, so long as I can't see the king's face ? ' 2 Sam. xiv, 24, 28, 32, 33. When the mother sees that the child is taken with the baby, the rattle, the fiddle, she comes not in sight. If you take up your rest in any of the babies, in any of the poor things of this world, God will certainly keep out of sight. He will never honour them with his countenance and presence, who take up in anything be- low himself, below his favour, below his presence. I have read of a devout pilgrim, who going up to Jerusalem was very kindly and nobly entertained in several places, but still he cried out. Oh, but this is not Jerusalem ! this is not Jerusalem ! So when you ca9!>'your eye upon this creature or that, oh then cry out. This is not the presence of God, this is not the presence of God ; and when you begin to be tickled and taken with this and that enjoyment, with this or that content-
^ Suidas saith Job was clouded and to his sense and feeling forsaken seven years ; but you are not bound to make this an article of your faith.
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